Development Of High-speed Rail Research Articles

High-speed rail new towns and their impacts on urban sustainable development: a spatial analysis based on satellite remote sensing data

With the rapid expansion of China’s high-speed rail network, numerous high-speed rail new towns have been established. While these new towns have brought about significant economic opportunities, they also impose pressure on local resources and environment. Accurately assessing the impacts of high-speed rail new towns on urban sustainable development is therefore a crucial issue to address. Our study employs satellite remote sensing data and spatial econometric methods to evaluate the impacts of 223 high-speed rail new towns in China from 2011 to 2021. The results indicate a gradual narrowing of development disparities among high-speed rail new towns in different cities. The construction of high-speed rail new towns has facilitated the sustainable development of cities. Notably, central high-speed rail new towns demonstrate a more considerably driving effect on the urban sustainable development compared to peripheral ones. The findings of the study provide valuable insights for policymakers and urban planners in China and other countries embarking on high-speed rail development projects. Our research highlights the importance of considering the potential impacts of high-speed rail new towns on the urban sustainable development and the need for careful planning and management to ensure that these newly-established towns contribute to a more sustainable urban future.

High-speed rail new towns and their impacts on urban sustainable development: a spatial analysis based on satellite remote sensing data

With the rapid expansion of China’s high-speed rail network, numerous high-speed rail new towns have been established. While these new towns have brought about significant economic opportunities, they also impose pressure on local resources and environment. Accurately assessing the impacts of high-speed rail new towns on urban sustainable development is therefore a crucial issue to address. Our study employs satellite remote sensing data and spatial econometric methods to evaluate the impacts of 223 high-speed rail new towns in China from 2011 to 2021. The results indicate a gradual narrowing of development disparities among high-speed rail new towns in different cities. The construction of high-speed rail new towns has facilitated the sustainable development of cities. Notably, central high-speed rail new towns demonstrate a more considerably driving effect on the urban sustainable development compared to peripheral ones. The findings of the study provide valuable insights for policymakers and urban planners in China and other countries embarking on high-speed rail development projects. Our research highlights the importance of considering the potential impacts of high-speed rail new towns on the urban sustainable development and the need for careful planning and management to ensure that these newly-established towns contribute to a more sustainable urban future.

Development of high-speed rail in the countries of the Visegrad

Development of high-speed rail in the countries of the Visegrad

Research on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Investment under Build - Operate - Transfer (BOT) and Build-Lease-Transfer (BLT) Contract Types in the High-Speed North-South Rail Project (HSR), the Hanoi - Vinh Line

Introduction The North-South high-speed rail development is a completely new field in Vietnam. Calculations show that Vietnam's high-speed rail system will attract a significant amount of investment, which is 4-5 times higher than developing highways, and the annual operation and maintenance costs are three times higher. Methods Public-Private Partnership (PPP) investment is effective and required to ease the strain on the state budget. This research aims to build a database for calculating the financial efficiency of the high-speed rail project (Hanoi -Vinh line), thereby establishing a mechanism for sharing benefits and risks between the state and investors through financial scenarios: applying Build - Operate - Transfer (BOT) contracts with state participation rates of 50% and 80%, respectively. Results The qualitative research method is used to determine the indicators influencing the project's benefits and costs, assume and adjust economic, financial, and fare parameters based on Vietnam's actual conditions, and investigate and survey the affected areas to assess passenger transport demand. Conclusion Furthermore, the financial efficiency of the project is calculated, and various participation options for the parties involved are proposed to attract investors.

Wellbeing Impact Study of High-Speed 2 (WISH2): Protocol for a mixed-methods examination of the impact of major transport infrastructure development on mental health and wellbeing.

Although research has demonstrated that transport infrastructure development can have positive and negative health-related impacts, most of this research has not considered mental health and wellbeing separately from physical health. There is also limited understanding of whether and how any effects might be experienced differently across population groups, whether this differs according to the stage of development (e.g. planning, construction), and how changes to planned infrastructure may affect mental health and wellbeing. This paper presents a protocol for the Wellbeing Impact Study of HS2 (WISH2), which seeks to address these questions using a high-speed rail development in the UK as an applied example. WISH2 is a 10-year, integrated, longitudinal, mixed-methods project using general practices (primary medical care providers in the UK) as an avenue for participant recruitment and for providing a geographically defined population for which aggregated data on mental health indicators are available. The research comprises: (i) a combined longitudinal and repeated cross-sectional cohort study involving multiple waves of survey data collection and data from medical records; (ii) longitudinal, semi-structured interviews and focus groups with residents and community stakeholders from exposed areas; (iii) analysis of administrative data aggregated at the general practice population level; and (iv) health economic analysis of mental health and wellbeing impacts. The study findings will support the development of strategies to reduce negative impacts and/or enhance positive mental health and wellbeing impacts of high-speed rail developments and other large-scale infrastructure projects.

Can the opening of high-speed rail boost the reduction of air pollution and carbon emissions? Quasi-experimental evidence from China

This study utilizes panel data from 282 cities in China and employs the difference-in-differences method, mediating effect model, social network analysis method, and spatial econometric model to thoroughly investigate the impact of high-speed rail development on urban air pollution and carbon emissions reduction. The results of the study revealed that the introduction of high-speed railways correlated negatively with metropolitan PM2.5 and carbon emissions, suggesting a reduction in urban air pollutants and carbon emissions. The impact of high-speed rail installation on urban air pollution and carbon emissions reduction depends on various factors, such as the metropolitan area's location, size, and access to resources. Moreover, by optimizing the industrial structure and promoting technological innovation within the metropolitan region, high-speed rail installation can contribute to efforts to reduce air pollutants and carbon emissions. Over time, the influence of high-speed rail on industrial structure and technological development becomes increasingly significant. In urban centers connected to high-speed rail networks, the introduction of high-speed rail plays a significant role in fostering the reduction of urban air pollution and carbon emissions. Given the spatial correlation, the advent of high-speed rail will impact not only local air pollution and carbon reduction processes but also those of neighboring cities.

High-Speed Rail and Energy Productivity: Evidence from China

Using the difference-in-differences method combined with the propensity score matching, this study identifies the causal relationship between high-speed rail (HSR) and energy productivity in China. Furthermore, we investigate the mechanism through which HSR affects energy productivity, as well as the heterogeneity of the impact across quantiles and distances. The results show that HSR connection contributes to the improvement of energy productivity. This finding is consolidated after a potential endogeneity problem is addressed using the instrumental variable method and a variety of potential confounders are controlled through a series of robustness checks. On average, the marginal impact of HSR on energy productivity is approximately 9%. Moreover, HSR connection cannot be completely substituted by traditional railway and aviation in improving energy productivity. The heterogeneity analysis suggests that the positive energy productivity effect of HSR gradually decreases with an increasing distance to the nearest HSR station. In addition, HSR network accessibility has a significant positive effect on energy productivity, while technological innovation mediates the relationship between HSR development and energy productivity. We propose that to achieve the long-term improvement of energy productivity, policymakers should comprehensively consider both transit-oriented development and ecology-oriented development modes.

The impact of high-speed rail on SO2 emissions—based on spatial difference-in-differences analysis

SO2 emissions have brought serious hidden danger to human health and environmental quality, thus hindering sustainable economic development. The development of high-speed rail indirectly has an important impact on SO2 emissions through its economic effects. Controlling SO2 emissions from the source has increasingly become the focus of many scholars, and it is very important to assess the environmental effects of high-speed rail on SO2 emissions reduction. We use the panel data of 285 cities in China from 2007 to 2017, and adopt the spatial Difference-in-Differences model to study the impact of the opening of high-speed rail on SO2 emissions. We also introduce an improved spatial DID model that distinguishes neighboring treatment groups and neighboring control groups to test the spatial spillover effect of high-speed rail on neighboring heterogeneous samples. We find that the opening of high-speed rail significantly reduces the city’s SO2 emissions through the internal accumulation effect of technological innovation and industrial structure optimization and the urban external interaction mechanism of the cross-regional flow of production factors. Moreover, the spatial spillover effect of the opening of high-speed rail on neighboring cities is significantly positive, especially the spatial spillover effect of HSR on SO2 emissions from neighboring cities without HSR. In addition, heterogeneity analysis shows that the effect varies with the different cities’ tiers and income levels. These findings are conducive to accurately assessing the environmental effects of high-speed rail, and provide important policy references for achieving sustainable development and reducing SO2 emissions.

Impact of the introduction of high-speed rail on the income gap between urban and rural residents.

The unprecedented expansion and development of high-speed rail (HSR) in China provides a unique opportunity and a new way of thinking for addressing the problem of urban-rural wealth disparities. In this paper, I examine the impact of the introduction of HSRs on the income disparity between urban and rural residents in China. Using panel data from 285 prefecture-level cities from 2004 to 2018, in this paper I employ the double-difference method to assess the impact of HSR on the income gap between urban and rural populations and the mechanism of its action; furthermore, I explore the influence of HSR on urban residents' per capita disposable income and rural residents' per capita net income, as well as the impact of HSR on the flow of elements such as labor and capital. My research findings reveal that the introduction of HSR has greatly widened the income gap between urban and rural residents; however, there is heterogeneity between different East, Central, and West regions, as well as between different levels of cities. A further mechanism study finds that HSR lowers farmers' per capita net income, raises urban residents' per capita disposable income, and widens the urban/rural income gap via mechanisms such as facilitating the interregional mobility of labor and capital factors. Therefore, it is necessary to comprehensively assess the economic effects brought about by HSR, strengthen the construction of urban-rural transport networks, and improve support for rural areas, so as to promote the coordinated development of inter-regional and urban-rural areas.

High-speed rail network and earnings management techniques usage trade-off: the moderating effects of governance and religion

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the impact of the development of high-speed rail (HSR) network on earnings management, especially on the trade-off between the usage of accruals-based earnings management (AM) and real earnings management (RM) techniques, and consequently, examines the extent to which the HSR network–earnings management nexus is moderated by governance and religion factors.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of Chinese A-listed firms over an 11-year period, this study uses regression techniques as the baseline methodology while controlling for industry and year-fixed effects. The authors also use endogeneity tests (including instrumental variable method, Generalized Methods of Moments estimation and difference-in-difference) and different robustness checks.FindingsThe key findings are threefold. First, the HSR network development reduces AM. This suggests that the presence of HSR network is effective in reducing information asymmetry. Second, the use of RM technique increases with the HSR network development. This indicates that managers do not seem to engage in less earnings management with the HSR network development but instead appear to switch from the easy-to-detect AM to the more costly RM approach. Finally, the HSR network and earnings management nexus is moderated by governance and religion factors.Originality/valueThis study provides new evidence on the trade-off between AM and RM by managers and pioneers in examining the impacts of governance and religion factors on the relationship between the HSR network and the trade-off of earnings management techniques.

Typification of Projects for Development of High-Speed Rail

The emerging demand for improving consumer parameters of rail passenger transport leads to the need to build a dedicated railway infrastructure for passenger trains with speeds exceeding in some sections 250 km/h. The high capital intensity of dedicated infrastructure development projects imposes significant restrictions on their scope and financial feasibility. The geographically determined location of urban agglomerations in European and Asian countries has led to formation of many approaches to the routing of lines for high-speed passenger transportation.The projects for development of dedicated high-speed railways being developed in various countries differ in their technical, technological, and operational characteristics. The use of different approaches has led to different efficiency of the passenger traffic, expressed in the demand of passengers for transportation.A structural analysis of existing high-speed transportation projects allowed revealing general patterns of their development. By the number of operational tasks arising with regard to movement of trains, the phases of traffic development were divided into linear, tree­like and network stages. Thus, when moving from the linear structure of a high-speed rail, an additional problem arises of trains passing from the main track to the secondary one. The transition to the network stage can result in emergence of parallel passages rail tracks between urban agglomerations.To generalise the experience of operating high-speed systems in the world, the article describes the developed method that allows comparing different projects for organising high-speed rail with each other. The comparison is made according to the main characteristics of traffic: travel time between separation points, the traffic speed, the total length of the railway line. Identification of the patterns inherent in various projects for development of high-speed rail will make it possible to compare their technological parameters, to identify the scope of rational use of high-speed lines and areas of competition with other core types of transport.

Current status and reflection on the development of high-speed maglev transportation

PurposeHigh-speed maglev technology can address the issues of adhesion, friction, vibration and high-speed current collection in traditional wheel-rail systems, making it an important direction for the future development of high-speed rail technology.Design/methodology/approachThis paper elaborates on the demand and significance of developing high-speed maglev technology worldwide and examines the current status and technological maturity of several major high-speed maglev systems globally.FindingsThis paper summarizes the challenges in the development of high-speed maglev railways in China. Based on this analysis, it puts forward considerations for future research on high-speed maglev railways.Originality/valueThis paper describes the development status and technical maturity of several major high-speed maglev systems in the world for the first time, summarizes the existing problems in the development of China's high-speed maglev railway and on this basis, puts forward the thinking of the next research of China's high-speed maglev railway.

Analysis of the impact of high-speed rail on the spatio-temporal distribution of residential population and industrial structure

With the development of high-speed rail, the spatiotemporal distance among regions has been shortened. However, the research on the spatiotemporal distribution and correlation of resident population and industrial structure caused by the opening of high-speed railway is relatively few. This study is aimed to explore the impact of high-speed rail on resident population and industrial structure, as well as the spatiotemporal agglomeration and evolution trend. The spatial-temporal distribution of the resident population, industrial structure, and the influence of high-speed rail was studied using panel data from 31 Chinese provinces from 2006 to 2018 using spatial autocorrelation analysis, standard deviation ellipse method, and DID model. The experimental results indicate that: (1) The resident population shows a significant positive spatial autocorrelation, while the industrial structure is vice versa. (2) The resident population and industrial structure are primarily centralized in the eastern and central areas, showing a “northeast-southwest” spatial distribution pattern. (3) High-speed rail and the resident population are negatively correlated, and there is heterogeneity. Although there is an association between high-speed rail and industrial structure that is positive, there is also a clear regional variability. This study contributes to providing the corresponding theoretical support and basis for the high-speed rail line planning in different regions and the relevant departments to formulate effective economic policies.

Dynamic network relationship between transportation and urban economy: A case study of China's high-speed rail as a new transportation technology

High-speed rail (HSR) stands as one of the most significant transportation technological advancements in the global railway industry over the past half-century, attracting considerable scholarly attention regarding its impact on urban economies. However, researches remain rare as to the dynamic evolution of the HSR netwok and the economic network, as well as their relationship. Our research tackles this issue by employing social network analysis (SNA) and a complex gravity model to construct China's HSR network and economic network. Furthermore, we apply the quadratic assignment procedure (QAP) and nonlinear Granger causality test to analyze the relationship between the two networks. Results reveal a significant correlation between China's HSR and economic network from 2008 to 2020, exhibiting heterogeneity in nonlinear causal relationships across different spatial scales. Notably, the strength of the relationship between the HSR netwok and the economic network follows an inverted “U” shape. This correlation is more pronounced within smaller administrative boundaries than inter-administrative regions. Additionally, the HSR netwok and the economic network in China's central and western regions tend to foster mutually reinforcing patterns of evolution. These findings shed light on the interactive processes between HSR development and economic growth in China, providing a foundation for policy formulation in emerging economies seeking to develop a new transportation technology and promote synergistic economic growth.

Understanding the Development of High-Speed Rail in China

In this paper, we study the key factors affecting China’s high-speed rail development using a case study methodology and following the perspective of catch-up cycles. In addition to factors such as windows of opportunities and responses identified in the extant literature, we found that the focal organization’s strategic intent is the most important driving force. Strategic intents, opportunities, and responses, all change over time. This finding has important theoretical implications, and indicates the importance of effective coordination by the focal organization in the process of catching up in complex technology systems such as high-speed rail.

Did high speed rail accelerate the development of tourism economy? – Empirical analysis from Northeast China

At present, scholars hold two opposite views on the spatial impact (i.e., positive and negative impact) of high-speed rail (HSR) on tourism economy. To better explore the spatial impact of HSR on tourism economy, this paper uses the difference-in-differences (DID) to empirically test the causal effect of HSR and tourism economy, specifically by using the panel data of cities in Northeast China from 2010 to 2018 as research sample. On the whole, empirical results show that HSR has become an important factor in promoting the development of tourism economy. The impact of HSR on tourism economy in different years indicates that with the continuous promotion of HSR, the effect of HSR-driven tourism economy has become increasingly evident. On this basis, this paper classifies cities according to different types and finds that compared with ordinary prefecture-level cities, central cities are more affected by HSR. Compared with cities with high abundance of tourism resources, cities with low abundance of tourism resources are more affected by HSR. Therefore, current article is convinced that while seizing the opportunity of HSR, cities should actively avoid the negative impact brought by the development of HSR and truly promote the balanced development of regional tourism.

Understanding high-speed rail users in the US – Environmental and sustainability perspectives

The US lags behind many countries in high-speed rail (HSR) development. As HSR is a new phenomenon in the US, it remains unclear whether or not US travelers perceive HSR as a sustainable transport mode and their intention to travel by HSR. The extent to which travelers might consider environmental impacts when choosing HSR for domestic travel is also unknown. This study collected survey data from US travelers (n = 684) and analyzed the data using structural equation modeling and hierarchical logistic regression. The sustainability analysis, based on the three-pillar theory, revealed significant influence of safety and accessibility (social dimension) and environmental impact (environment dimension) on the perceived sustainability and intention to travel by HSR. The logistic regression further indicated that environmental factors, compared to demographic and travel characteristics, can better predict the level of environmental consideration of US travelers when deciding to use HSR. The environmental factor was important in both analyses, suggesting a relatively high level of green travel awareness among US travelers and potential acceptance and intention toward HSR. The findings contribute to the knowledge of HSR and sustainability from the perspective of travelers, and provide practical implications for the US to move toward a sustainable transport system.

Income allocation and distribution along with high-speed rail development in China

Previous studies have extensively examined the role of high-speed railways in economic growth from the view of economic geography but have largely overlooked their contribution as technological progress to wages and private savings. This study aims to fill this gap by analysing the association between high-speed rail, wages and private deposits in 284 Chinese prefectural-level cities from 2003 to 2018. Utilizing a difference-in-difference method and conducting robustness tests, we examine three potential mechanism channels in this association. Our findings reveal that the introduction of high-speed rail new stations has significantly boosted wage levels through employment effects and financial development effects. However, the opening of the new stations has led to a decrease in private savings. This can be attributed to the marginal absorption of increased wages by higher consumption levels facilitated by high-speed rail development. Additionally, high-speed rail development stimulates private capital investments growth in financial markets. In essence, the technological progress represented by high-speed rail alters residents' traditional investment behavior. Our finding suggests strong heterogeneity across regions and significant siphon effects across cities. This paper offers insights into the balanced development of wages and private deposits in China, highlighting the implications of high-speed rail for economic dynamics in the country.

Impacts of High-Speed Rail on Regional Economic Growth: An Empirical Analysis of the Moderated Mediation Effects

Transportation infrastructure is crucial for economic growth. Nonetheless, conclusions from empirical investigations concerning the impacts of high-speed rail (HSR) on regional economic growth exhibit inconsistency and are even controversial. In this work, we incorporate the HSR variable into the traditional Dixit–Stiglitz–Krugman (DSK) model, and establish both a structural equation model (SEM) and a threshold model to verify the nonlinear and volatile relationship between HSR development and regional economic growth. The main conclusions are as follows: The opening of HSR (HSR_O), the service intensity of HSR (HSR_S), and the time-cumulative effect of HSR (HSR_T) all have a positive impact on regional economic growth through market size, with labor and capital stock acting as moderating variables. Only under the condition that the regional capital stock exceeds 141.90 million yuan (US$20.56 million), 122.24 million yuan (US$17.71 million), and 128.70 million yuan (US$18.65 million), respectively, will HSR_O, HSR_S, and HSR_T have a favorable effect on regional economic growth. However, the varying influence on regional economic growth is minimally related to labor stock. Finally, directions for further research, and policy implications of the development of HSR for regional planners and local authorities are proposed.

Market-creating states: rethinking China’s high-speed rail development

Railway development holds special importance in every major industrialized country. Despite its significance, the wholesale modernization of China’s railway sector only began after the mid-2000s. Against this backdrop, this paper poses three research questions: First, why did China’s high-speed railway (HSR) revolution start in the mid-2000s? Second, which domestic and international factors most decisively shaped the rapid development of China’s HSR industry? Third, can other states replicate the Chinese model? This paper advances the perspective of ‘market-creating states’. Through administrative centralization, the Chinese state created a national HSR market in which state-owned firms and sub- national governments collaborated with the central government to pursue rapid development. In doing so, the Chinese state successfully leapfrogged into the age of HSR, fostered indigenous innovation, and escaped dependency. High-speed rail development serves as a fruitful starting point for understanding the role of a ‘market-creating state’ in managing development in a globalized economy.